Improvement in bottle-cages



, G. s. WILLIAMS &A. B. GREENWOOD. "Bottle-Gage. No. 215.852. Patented lV lay'27,-1879.

Ill]! nllllllllllllllllllll I llll l l lllllllllllllll N- PETERS. PHOTD-LITHOGRAPHER. WASH NGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. \VILLIAMS AND ALBERT B. GREENWOOD, OF MAYSVILLE, KY.

IM PROVEMENT lN BOTTLE-CAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,852, dated May 27, 1879; application filed April 16, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE S. WILLIAMS and ALBERT B. GREENWOOD, of Maysville, Mason county, in the State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bottle-Gages, adapted for the use ofdruggists and others to inclose bottles or jars containing poisons or dangerous chemicals, for the purpose of preventing accidents in compounding medicines, &c.

It has been customary heretofore to indicate the contents of the bottle by the label upon its outside only, or by the use of bottles of some peculiar figure, or described by some peculiar mark when used for inclosing poisons or dangerous materials. Such figures do not offer adequate security. Envelopes for bottles have also been employed when it was necessary to exclude light from the chemicals inclosed; but such envelopes have, so far as we are aware, always inclosed the bottle entirely, so as to completely hide it from sight, and the charac ter of the contents has been indicated by a label placed on the outside of the envelope. This also offers inadequate security, because the envelope may contain a bottle which was not intended for it.

The object of our device is to inclose the bottle in an open wire or lattice cage, which, while it renders it impossible to handle the bottle without recognizing the character of its contents, the bottle itself is not sealed, and the label upon its side is as plainly legible as though it were not inclosed within the cage.

That others may fully understand this invention we will particularly describe it, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of our device. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same.

A is the cage, composed of the top band, a, and the lower band, I), which are united by vertical wires 0 O and intermediate bandwires (1 (I, thus constituting a cage adapted to the size of the bottles intended to be inclosed. If preferred, the inclosing-wires of the cage may be disposed otherwise than as shown and described, it only being necessary to our invention that the cage should present a latticed or openavork structure which would inclose and securely keep the bottle without concealing it.

A top or cover, E, similarly constructed with a band and wires, may be hinged to the upper band, a, at one side, and latched or locked at the other side by any suitable device for that purpose, so that, if it is deemed necessary or desirable, the bottle cannot be removed from the cage except by some person specially authorized to do so. Ordinarily, however, simple spring-latches e, as shown in the drawings, will be sufficient for all purposes of security.

o think it may be desirable to furnish these cages with one, two, or more springlatches, for the purpose of indicating as many difl'ercnt qualities or characters of the poison ous or dangerous articles contained in the bottles. For instance, a cage provided with one spring-latch may be employed for those drugs which are simply dangerous, and not virulent, poisons-sueh, for instance, as morphia a cage with two spring-latches may be employed for bottles containing drugs of a more dangerous character, and a larger number of spring-latches may be employed with cages for bottles containing the most virulent poisons.

By these means the attention of the druggist will be necessarily called to the character of the contents by the movements neoessaryto unlatch the cover, so that the bottle can be removed from the cage-as, for instance, if he finds it necessary to move two latches in order to open the cover, he cannot be mistaken as to the fact that the contents are of the second dangerous poison.

A spring, F, may be applied to the cover E, so as to throw the same open and retain it in that position when released from the locking-latches. A spring or elastic cushion, G, may also be placed within the base of the cage to support the bottle, and thereby render its accidental fracture less likely. This cushion may be also adjusted so as to cause the top of the cage-cover E to press upon the top of the stopper or cork of the bottle, and thereby prevent said stopper from becoming loosened, accidentally or otherwise.

The inner portions of this cage which. come in contact with the bottle may, if desired, be cushioned or covered with some soft or elastic material, so as to protect the bottle from accidental fracture in case of a fall from the counter to floor, and for the protection of the bottle and its contents during; transportation.

Having described. our invention, what we claim as new is 1. A bottle-cage of open or lattice work, through which the bottle and its label may be seen, combined with a hinged top, secured by two or more independent latches or looks, to indicate the character of the contents and as security against accidents.

7 the bottle and its label are visible, combined with a hinged top, secured by a latch or look, substantially as set forth.

GEO. S. 'WILLIAMS. ALBERT B. GREENWOOD.

Witnesses:

S. E. CARPENTER, It. D. 0. SMITH. 

